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For years, all my visions and fantasies of my most successful, happy self involved me looking different. It's only been in the last few years that I've realized that the woman I see in the mirror today is my most successful, happy self.
It's a particularly poignant observation for me now because this week, my daughter graduates from middle-school and will soon head off to high school. She's already talking about the clothes she wants to get, what she wants to do with her hair -- all the ways she wants to create a "new look" for high school.
"Danger, danger" my inner voice is screaming.
Because you and I know that a good high school experience isn't about having a certain look. The "right" look is the one that's uniquely you and that makes you feel happy and confident. But as women, our visions of our hopes and dreams all too often come wrapped in a particular physical package.
It's a tough subject to broach with my daughter because it feels like it could venture into "You're beautiful just the way you are" territory and as any mom of an adolescent knows, girls don't always believe that. So soon, my questions will begin: What makes you want to change that about yourself? How do you think things will be different if you do?
She'll roll her eyes, I know. She'll sigh. She'll even ask: "Are you going to write about this in your blog?"
But in the end, I hope she'll know that the high school experience she's looking for is available to the girl she sees in the mirror today -- no alterations needed.
